


Never Again

by suchanoldcliche



Series: OTP: From Curtain Up to Closing Scene. [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF
Genre: F/M, Gay Bar, M/M, Pepper's a bitch, Pepperony - Freeform, Revenge, Songfic, Xanderony, break-up, don't read this if you like her, seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-22 22:51:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6096523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suchanoldcliche/pseuds/suchanoldcliche
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the opening plays, Xander walks to the microphone and holds it between both hands. He can hardly see the faces staring back at him because every single one of them have changed into the same one. The same lying brown eyes, the same stupid grin that will <i>never</i> hold the power to make Xander melt again. Ever. He's through.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Again

**Author's Note:**

> This song came on as I was working on something completely different, but I just. I had to write this. Xander has been so sassy lately, so... ha. Hahaha.
> 
> To any and all Pepperony shippers who read this, be warned: I do not ship it. I do not like it. I can't stand Pepper as a character. If you continue to read it after this warning and proceed to comment with flames because of my opinion, I'll delete them and won't think twice.
> 
> That being said, please enjoy Xander's sass~

Pepper. Of all the people Tony could leave Xander for, of all the mistakes he could've made, he went back to _Pepper_. Maybe it was the comfort that he needed, considering how long the two were together before Xander came along and shook Tony's world up. Maybe it was the fact that Tony was _too_ happy with Xander. Maybe it was unsettling to the Avenger, how easy everything felt with the kid. Who knows? All Xander cares about now is he's been left on the curb of an apartment he hasn't slept in in over five months, all because Tony got scared.

What a piece of shit.

Xander isn't one to swear, but that's about the only thing he can come up with right about now. Tony Stark is a Grade A piece of SHIT. He huffs as he climbs up the fire escape to the window he knows he can open; he really doesn't feel like hearing the "I told you so" from his neighbor. Not tonight. No, tonight, he's going to get all dressed up and go to a bar.

And he knows just which one to go to.

An hour later, clad in his best black and white ensemble - checkered pants, a checkered vest, a white polo, and a black bow tie - he makes his way to his favorite spot. It's a gay bar off the main road, one that doesn't get as busy as the Green Lantern about five miles in the other direction, and tonight is Xander's favorite night of the week: karaoke night.

It's almost too easy to get in. He knows how to work the guards, should he need to; dating Tony Stark made him realise that there's a specific kind of man who finds him irresistible, and luckily for Xander, guards happen to fall in that category. A little shake of his hips and a pout and he has grown men twice his size melting like butter in his hands. He never thought he'd be attractive to anyone, not like this, but hey. He also didn't think Tony would be stupid enough to go back to a woman who blamed HIM for his PTSD.

Oh well. Can't change a man who doesn't want to change.

A raspberry martini and a little bit of innocent flirting loosens Xander up right away. He's hardly even thinking about that piece of shit ex-boyfriend who left him for a woman.

…Ahem.

When it's finally his turn up on the stage, he hands his empty glass (the third of the night, oh boy) to the bartender, then heads over to pick out his song. He already knows which one he'll sing, and he's grinning almost dangerously, eyes shining with mischief as he selects it.

As the opening plays, Xander walks to the microphone and holds it between both hands. He can hardly see the faces staring back at him because every single one of them have changed into the same one. The same lying brown eyes, the same stupid grin that will _never_ hold the power to make Xander melt again. Ever. He's through.

"I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green," he sings, the anger in his chest reaching a boiling point. "I hope when you're in bed with her, you think of me."

He was the best Tony'd had in a long time. That's what he'd said, over and over. Xander's attentive, Xander's good with his mouth, Xander wasn't _selfish_ , unlike a certain blonde Kraken Lady who would just DIE if she happened to be supportive of something Tony did. Or said. Or wanted. God forbid he dealt with things in his own way. God forbid the woman was patient or considerate or _any_ of the things Xander was.

Tony wants to backtrack? He wants to be with a woman who only made him miserable in the long run? Fine. Xander's not about to stop him.

"I would never wish bad things, but I don't wish you well…" His mother raised him better than that. He'll admit, however - if only to himself - that he cannot wait for this to blow up in Tony's face. Because it will. It always does. And when it does, he'll remember what he had, what he walked away from, what he lost.

And Xander will have moved on to someone who will actually appreciate him for who he is, instead of wishing he had a goddamn vagina.

"Could you tell by the flames that burned your words?" His brow furrows in anger, one hand sliding down the microphone stand and gripping it tight. "I never read your letter, 'cause I knew what you'd say. Give me that Sunday School answer; try and make it all okay.

"Does it hurt to know I'll never be there? Bet it sucks to see my face everywhere. It was YOU who chose to end it like you did." He hopes he haunts the bastard. He hopes Tony can't listen to the radio without hearing Xander singing along beside him. He hopes he can't escape the memories of them, the sex all over the Tower and the sweets Xander would bring him when he had a rough day. He hopes Tony is drowning in regret.

Because Xander? He couldn't be better. Yes, he loves Tony. He probably always will. But Tony's the one who let this happen. TONY is the one who made Xander leave. All of this, all of the pain he'll feel when Pepper yells at him for having nightmares, for being afraid of himself, all of it, it's because Tony got scared and ended what could've been the best thing that ever happened to him.

No. No, Xander WAS the best thing to happen to him. And Tony let it go.

Screw that guy.

"I was the last to know you knew exactly what you would do, and don't say you simply lost your way. She may believe you, but I never will… Never again."

He leans back from the microphone just long enough to take a breath. Every face is still Tony's. Every raised brow, every curious look, even the ones that appear to be swooning, all look like the man who betrayed Xander. The boy's brow knits together again, his heart racing as he pulls the microphone stand closer to himself.

"If she really knows the truth, she deserves you." He left her because he couldn't stand the way she treated him. He couldn't stand the guilt she made him feel, the anger at himself for being so out of control, the panic that she'd leave him first. He left her because she wasn't right for him; and he'd said as much to Xander. But now, they're back together. Huh. "A trophy wife, oh, how cute. Ignorance is bliss." His lips curl into a dastardly smirk. "But when your day comes and he's through with you - and he'll be through with you - you'll die together, but alone."

It's bound to end in disaster, and Xander cannot wait to watch them go up in flames.

"You wrote me in a letter; you couldn't say it right to my face. Give me that Sunday School answer; repent yourself away~"

Like saying he's sorry would make Xander forgive him. Like trying to cushion the blow by saying "you knew this day would come" made it right. Yes, Xander knew the chances of them working out were slim to none. Yes, he had himself hopeful that he'd be different, that Tony would see how well they worked together and he wouldn't want to let that go. But now? Now, Xander knows better.

"Does it hurt to know I'll never be there? Bet it SUCKS to see my face everywhere. It was you who chose to end it like you did. I was the last to know you knew exactly what you would do, and don't say you simply lost your way. They may believe you, but I never will… Never again."

And now, he's staring at one man in particular. He's near the bar, his mouth agape and his eyes wide, like he's seeing a ghost. Whether or not that's really Tony, Xander doesn't know, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, because in this moment, he is. In this moment, he's all Xander can see. Removing the mic from the stand, he steps closer to the edge of the stage, one corner of his mouth still curled up as he sings the bridge.

"Never again will I hear you. Never again will I miss you. Never again will I fall to you." He shakes his head slowly. "Never…" Holding the mic tighter, his free hand gripping the mic stand, his eyes narrow. "Never again will I kiss you. Never again will I want to. Never again will I love you. Never~

"Does it hurt to know I'll never be there?" Xander hops down from the stage.

"Bet it SUCKS to see my face everywhere." He stalks toward the man in the back, unable to tear his eyes away.

"It was YOU who chose to end it like you did." Coming to a stop in front of the appropriately tall man, Xander's lips form a tight line just long enough for the subject of his song to glance down to them, then back up to his eyes.

"I was the last to know you knew exactly what you would do…" Xander steps closer, until they're breathing the same air.

"…And don't say you simply lost your way." The man tries to back up, but it doesn't work. He staggers onto the stool and tries to regain his footing.

"They may believe you, but I never will…" He's glaring now, pupils the size of pin pricks and narrow as can be. The man across from him looks terrified.

"I never will…" He tries to mouth he's sorry, but Xander's not having it.

"I never will…"

He may not get the man of his dreams back, but dreams can change. What he wants from a man can change. Tony is the dream right now, but he won't be for long.

Xander's moving on, and he's not looking back.

"Never again."


End file.
